Advanced Junior-level Strategies and Tips
Hey tennis fans and viewers! In today’s blog, I would like to introduce “Advanced Junior-level Strategies and Tips” to those who seek for advanced tactics that are useful in junior-level tournaments.
First, I would like to present the three rules of thumb:
Three rules of thumb
Be cautious of the depth of the incoming ball and use footwork accordingly.
Approach the net once you take full advantage of the rally, i.e., attack the defensive slice.
Add a variety of tactics to your game by mastering the backhand slice.
Tactic 1: Always be observant of the depth of the incoming ball.
Reacting swiftly to the direction of the ball, whether that's heading for your forehand or backhand, is vital. And from today, be aware of the depth of the incoming ball.
When you anticipate that a ball will land deep in the court, you must make a quick decision, whether you hit the shot on the rise or step back.
Moreover how you react when the ball lands short is crucial. It's a common sight to see players remaining at the baseline even when a short, weak ball is coming from their opponent.
However, don't wait for the ball to reach you; short balls should be seen as opportunities to advance towards the net and adopt an aggressive stance.
Tactic 2: A defensive short shot is a must-go!
In line with the previous point, it's critical to take advantage of a defensive short shot from your opponent. Once you've pushed your opponent far behind the baseline, the subsequent shot they are likely to make is a weak, often defensive slice.
In this scenario, it's essential not to remain behind and prepare for a groundstroke. Allowing the ball to bounce gives your opponent time to recover. Additionally, a slice shot maintains a low trajectory and a low bounce, making it very challenging to achieve a winner.
That's why the optimal tactic here is to move to the net and conclude the point with a well-placed volley.
Tactic 3: Master the backhand slice shot.
Utilizing the backhand slice can be a potent offensive strategy, particularly because your opponent is required to reach low to make contact with the ball.
This approach proves particularly effective against opponents who excel in baseline play but struggle to make forward transitions. Furthermore, a short slice can hinder your opponent's ability to unleash hard, flat shots because they are compelled to strike the ball at a low point of contact.
Anticipating this, you may want to consider moving towards the net and executing a well-timed volley just like Alcaraz in the video above.
Extra tactic: Utilize the opponent’s power effectively.
What I mean by this is that you do not always have to take initiative and control the pace of the rally. You could always opt to take lower risks and adopt a “counter-punch” playstyle, where you use the opponent’s pace of ball just like Roger Federer.
Federer sometimes decides to come onto the baseline and simply hit balls on the rise, which requires significantly less power compared to pounding shots of speed and spin.
This change in strategy helps to maintain stamina and control the ball better, while the opponent is puzzled by the change in performance. Doing different stuff on court always contributes to a change in game dynamics.
Conclusion
So those were my four advanced junior-level strategies and tips.
As my last note: tactics 2 and 3 are particularly useful in keeping the opponent under constant pressure. Showing an offensive attitude is highly effective in remaining competitive and resilient, while keeping your opponent uncomfortable.
I hope today’s blog gave you a new insight and perspective into tennis techniques and tactics.
Stay tuned for my next blog!
Top photo of the blog reproduced from: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d9/Kei_Nishikori_at_the_2012_Summer_Olympics.jpg
この記事が気に入ったらサポートをしてみませんか？